Davos World Economic Forum
Québec scores points on the economy and climate change

Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2015 – Québec Premier Philippe Couillard and Minister of the Economy, Innovation and Exports Jacques Daoust today wound up their mission to the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland. This year, Québec participated in 10 or so workshops at the Forum, 20 business meetings and more than 10 political meetings, making the event one of the most productive and busiest in recent years.

“We have attained our objectives in Davos: to meet with business executives who wish to invest and create jobs in Québec and political leaders and the heads of international agencies with which Québec can collaborate from an economic, social, environmental and cultural standpoint and thus further Québec’s interests,” Premier Couillard said.

Economic meetings

The Premier and Minister Daoust participated in nearly 20 meetings with corporate executives in various economic sectors interested in doing business in Québec or in further developing their existing operations.

“The economic projects on which our government is actively working are of interest to investors and are encouraging them to choose Québec. I have attended this event eight times and, through experience, know that our fruitful exchanges will contribute to the medium- and long-term development of our economy,” Minister of the Economy, Innovation and Exports Jacques Daoust noted.

Productive meetings in several sectors

The Premier met, in particular, with Spanish Minister of Economy and Competitiveness Luis De Guindos Jurado, Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Lilianne Ploumen, and German Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure Alexander Dobrindt, to promote the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, which will give access to Québec companies and a market of 500 million people.

Premier Couillard met with former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in conjunction with a workshop on education in which he was participating in his capacity as Special UN Envoy for Global Education.

He also discussed the social economy with economist Muhammad Yunus, winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace prize for the establishment of the first microcredit institution and President of the Yunus Center.

Québec’s initiatives in combating climate change and the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris were the focus of discussions with former US Vice President Al Gore, the President and CEO of Climate Group Mark Kenber, and Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Christiana Figueres. It should also be noted that Québec was cited as an example in respect of its establishment of a carbon market.

“The carbon market sends a clear signal to businesses and consumers of the need to perceive the challenge that combating climate change poses not as a threat but instead as a unique opportunity to build a new green economy. The economic mission in England, Wales, Belgium and Switzerland is drawing to a close with the assurance that Québec will enjoy promising results,” Premier Couillard concluded.

The Québec government has been present for nearly 30 years at the annual event in Davos. In addition to the political and economic figures attending the event, the Forum relies on the presence of experts and representatives of civil society who broach key issues that societies and the economies of the entire world are facing. The Forum, now in its 45th year, was organized under the theme “The New Global Context” and attracted a record 2500 participants.